Truckee River near Floriston

For information about rafting and kayaking in the Late Tahoe area, see the About Lake Tahoe website. Here is an excellent map of rapids on the Truckee river from Lake Tahoe to downstream of Reno/Sparks.

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From the outlet of Lake Tahoe near Fanny Bridge (on highway 89) to 3 miles downstream at River Ranch (.7 mile uphill of Alpine Meadows road), the Truckee is gentle class I. Rental rafters ply the river, consuming mass quantities of beer, and generating stories of how they got stuck on a rock or fell out of the boat.

From River Ranch, the site of annual slalom and downriver races until creeping Yuppification pushed out those thrifty downscale kayakers, the river is continuous class II-III for another 2.7 miles. At flows above 1000 cfs, be very careful of low bridges. For intermediate boaters, this is the most worthwhile stretch of the Truckee above I-80, although it is short.

From near Squaw Valley road, the river tapers off to class II for the entire 8 mile stretch to beautiful downtown Truckee. There are many houses along the river, so this is by no means a wilderness run, but the alpine scenery is fine for a change of pace. Again, at flows above 1000 cfs, be very careful of low bridges. Local agencies have closed the river at high flows, although they probably do not have the constitutional authority to do so.

From Truckee for 10 miles to the Little Truckee confluence at Boca, the river is mostly class II with flat spots, although boaters encounter a class III boulder garden just below the Truckee sewage treatment plant. Despite an interstate highway right along the river, the surrounding mountains are beautiful, so this is a good run if you are in the area.

Below Boca the Truckee river has a longer season, gaining the release from Boca reservoir, which means you can run it in warm weather, rather rare at this altitude. Flow on this section of the Truckee, including outflow from Boca reservoir on the Little Truckee, is available on the USGS site. One problem is that rapids are class II for 5.5 miles, then class IV for a distance, then mostly class II again. In other words, this is not a run with consistent rapids. Another problem is all the diversion dams, although take-out at Farad avoids this problem.

There used to be a diversion dam below class IV Bronco rapid, and older guidebooks recommended taking out above this dam, and putting in at Farad powerhouse for a different run. However the Floriston dam washed out during the New Year's 1997 flood, so you can continue by running the section from Floriston to Farad powerhouse. Between Floriston and Farad is perhaps the most consistent and fun section on the Truckee, however half-day commercial rafters usually take out at Floriston.

Downtown Reno's Whitewater Park

In 2003 the first segment of a whitewater park was completed in Reno! Wingfield Park in downtown Reno is on an island in the middle of the river. Human beavers diverted all the water into the south channel while building a series of four artifical drops in the north channel. Then water was diverted into the north channel while human beavers added seven features to the south channel. At low flows, one or the other channel can be closed off.

To get there from I-80, take the Virginia Street exit south, and drive thru the downtown area. After about a quarter mile a bridge crosses the Truckee river. The whitewater park is to your right. Find a place to park and carry boats to the river.

Whitewater Touring Section

This mile-by-mile describes the summer-long class II-IV run below Boca.

mile

0

Put in near the town of Boca, either on the Little Truckee if it has sufficient flow, or on the main Truckee near the confluence.

Rapid with a mere 200 cfs just below put-in	Tunnel where Little Truckee joins the Truckee

.8

I-80 bridges overhead. Shortly after, fun class II rapids give way to flatwater.

2

Bridge connecting town of Hirshdale to I-80. Soon afterwards, Juniper Creek enters on the right. The river bends away from the highway, and in places away from the railroad also.

Volcanic rock formations near train tracks	Picnic lunch at a secluded spot
Top of beautiful volcanic rock gorge	Beautiful volcanic rock gorge from below

3

Class II+ rapid. Shortly below is an excellent island campsite on the right of the major channel.

4

Railroad bridge across the river. A class II-III rapid just below. Shortly afterwards, Gray Creek enters on the right.

5.4

Jaws, class IV, scout right

A steep drop with two rocks/holes (the jaws) lurking below.

Recognizing and scouting the top of Jaws	Puma just above the steep drop of Jaws
Tom boofs the steep center flake above the Jaws	Tom aimed perfectly into the Jaws itself

5.5

Bronco, class IV, maybe prescout during shuttle
The river drops 50 feet in half a mile. Bronco Creek enters on the right, unfortunately adding silt to the river water. This rapid is a long boulder garden that increases in difficulty as the flow rises.

Best low-flow channel is on the left (2007)	Distant red kayak working towards the center

6

Floriston, an old railroad stop, the normal take-out, elevation 5300'.

6.1

I-80 crosses from river left to river right.

6.2

Hazard! Washed-out diversion dam has become runnable, though rebar might lurk underwater. Possibly scout on river left.

Remains of diversion dam on the left	Long class II-III rapid along I-80, mucho fun

6.7

I-80 crosses again, this time from river right to river left. Many class II rapids for the entire distance between here and Farad.

7.7

Farad powerhouse, elevation 5170', the traditional put-in for the run down to Verdi, now my recommended take-out. The section between Floriston and Farad has a gradient of 77 fpm, explaining why I like it. Below Farad, the river is mostly class II rock dodging, but there are several potentially lethal diversion dams, so remain alert.

10.9

Diversion dam #1, details unknown. Water is withdrawn from the river, so at minimum flows, it might get too bony for most boaters to run below this point. It is possible, though apparently not legal, to take out upstream at an unpaved roadside turn-out along I-80 east.

12.0

Diversion dam #2, Edge of the World, where Charles Martin reported a broken fiberglass kayak after an attempted run (1974), and where J.C. Goldrup reported a near-disaster (2001), having been sucked by a whirlpool into and thru the dam structure as a swimmer.

12.1

Rock garden with steep final drop, class III, maybe IV at high flows. The river drops rightwards over a boulder bar, then enters a narrow channel along a cliff, with big hydraulics at high flows. Railroad tracks perch high overhead on the right bank, and rapids tapers off where there is a railroad tunnel. Afterwards, good gradient to the next diversion dam.

14.3

Diversion dam #3, alternate take-out, especially at lower flows, when the remaining 1.5 mile to Verdi is quite rocky.

15.8

Take out at Crystal Peak park near Verdi, where there are restrooms and picnic facilities, but no camping is allowed.

Kurt Hoge supplied the following update:

All three dams below Farad are runnable, in fact this stretch makes a popular local commercial trip. Reno-based RAM (River Adventures and More, 800-466-7238) is one outfitter.

The first dam, called Head-Hunter by local boaters (recognition: a big sign saying “exit river now, drowning hazard”), has a low bridge right at the lip. Rafts should run it far right, where the bridge has the most clearance. Everyone needs to get down low to avoid head removal. At high water this might be a problem, but in 1999 it was runnable all year.

The second dam, called Edge of the World, was partially destroyed (in the 97 flood?), and is the only area that really merits scouting, on the right (recognition: a big sign saying “exit river now, drowning hazard”). There is a cheat route for small boats far right, but most boats will run the tongue right of center. Watch out for the wrap rock just to the left below the drop. There is rebar in the river here, so hold on, and don't swim. The run is easy if you hit the right spot, which is easy to do. If you miss, you are in deep doo-doo [see near-disaster report above].

The third dam is called Eight Seconds, and has a fish-ladder type construction that makes for a bumpy run. (recognition: a big sign saying “exit river now, drowning hazard”). Tell everyone to hold on! It can be run anywhere, and rumors say that 4 boats have taken the drop simultaneously. This one is serious fun.

Decent flows make the rest of this river lots of fun, though at low flows you'll spend lots of time boulder dodging. One rapid of note, called Bus Stop, is just below the second dam. It is a constricted left turn with a few magnetic Volkswagen-size rocks. At high water this rates class IV-.

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